Gonon 2021 Saint-Joseph Rouge - Limit 2 per customer

2021 Saint-Joseph Rouge “Frost, rain and three hail-storms” said Jean Gonon as he started pouring the assembled 2021s (before bottling) at the end of January. “There is much less Saint-Joseph Rouge this year as we did a very severe selection.” We found the assembled wine to have beautiful ripeness, definitely brighter and with less alcohol than recent vintages at approximately 12.5%. “It will age,” said Jean. We love to drink the Saint-Joseph soon after release but best to wait until 2026-7, then enjoy until 2041+. Our friend John Livingstone-Learmonth had this to say in drinkrhone: “dark red; the nose has an aroma of lardon, cooked bacon chunks, bright raspberry, dried herbs. The palate is immediately peppery, direct, crisp toned, develops extra fruit intensity as it goes, ends on herbal crunch tannins. The fruit gets off and goes, then things change, and tannins come in and alter its nature, which is very typical of 2021. The tannins have some tar darkness. Its cool red fruit is a primo card for now, and there are perfume, rose-violet tones towards the finish. It will be stylish, true, has a flavour of macerated red fruits, carries a little Pinote in nature, very good airborne leanings, a floating grace – peppery finesse here, a wine that can gain gras/fat gradually.”